Some patients describe this condition as the crushing neck and head pain that takes over their lives.

Occipital neuralgia can have several causes (injury, repetitious neck contraction, vascular compression, and others). The result is always the same: spinal subluxation with inflammation that leads to damaged nerves.

The symptom is: a chronic headache most often in the back of the head. Some people also experience headaches that then radiate over the top of or around the sides of the head to the eyebrow or behind the eye. Light sensitivity can also occur, leading to a misdiagnosis of tension headache or migraine.

The pain is intense and feels like a sharp, jabbing, electric shock in the back of the head and neck.

Other symptoms may include:

•Aching, burning, and throbbing pain that starts at the base of the head and radiates to the scalp

•Tender scalp

•Pain and or stiffness when moving the neck

If you’ve been diagnosed with occipital neuralgia, call our office today at 507-775-2711. You can experience relief, and an improved quality of life.

Fibromyalgia is defined by researchers as a malfunctioning nervous system with widespread musculoskeletal pain. Medical experts also tell us that fibromyalgia affects the way the brain responds to pain, amplifying pain.

The pain often is described as a constant dull ache, deep in the muscles. It is diagnosed as widespread when the pain is on both sides of the body as well as above and below the waist.

Fibromyalgia is diagnosed by identifying “tender points,” or specific places on the body that hurt worse when pressure is applied.

Back of the head

Between shoulder blades

Top of shoulders

Front sides of neck

Upper chest

Outer elbows

Upper hips

Sides of hips

Inner knees

One of the most common symptoms is deep fatigue, even after several hours of sleep. Others include constant, unrelenting pain all over, depression, and severe headaches.

These scientific studies make chiropractic adjustments a natural choice for people suffering with this debilitating condition. After a complete exam, specific adjustments to the spine correct subluxations and mis-alignments. Patients who choose chiropractic care for fibromyalgia report their symptoms ease. Others say their pain is completely gone.

Please don’t self-diagnose yourself. Call our office today at 507-775-2711 for a consultation. Then, together, we can design a care plan that will help restore your health.

You’re tired. All the time. And, you ache. You haven’t been diagnosed with anything yet, but you know something is off in your body.

Sometimes fatigue is caused by a malfunction in your nervous system. This happens when your spine is subluxated, and communication between the brain and body is interrupted. In a study, respected rheumatologist, Dr. Frederick Wolf, reported a 45.9% improvement in the health of patients who included chiropractic care, and lifestyle changes over patients who used medication alone. Other studies on chiropractic care (still in their preliminary stages) report less reduced pain, better sleep, and less fatigue in female patients with fibromyalgia.

If fatigue has you down, call 507-775-2711 today to schedule your free consultation.

Dean

Dean Ferber, Doctor of Chiropractic

Byron Family Chiropractic Clinic, 501 NW Frontage Rd, Byron, MN

507-775-2711

Located 5 miles from Rochester, MN!

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Dr. Fredrick Wolf first stated his belief that chiropractic care helped his patients in the 1980s, again in the 90s, and according to many studies being used currently, still agrees with this finding in 2012.

Sweet News for Your Allergies

You may have heard it on the news: 2012 is going to be a rough year for allergy suffers.

The good news: Local raw honey. Although traditional medicine debunks the idea, more and more people are finding relief by taking 1 tsp of raw honey per day. As we ingest the same allergens that cause us to sneeze and our eyes to water, antibodies are released into the body to fight the invaders. This is similar to the medical science of immunotherapy and vaccines.

At Byron Family Chiropractic, we believe in the healing properties of honey for allergies. Many of our patients have experienced relief and are no longer using dangerous over the counter or prescription medications.

Using raw honey doesn’t always bring relief immediately. For some people, it takes time for the anti-bodies to build up and do their work.

In New Zealand scientists studying the healing properties of honey are doing a new molecular study that is proving that raw honey is extremely valuable to the immune system and to the healing of wounds. There’s a lot of talk out there about developing synthetic drugs based on the natural properties found in honey.

Why use synthetic? The body is fully capable of utilizing the healing benefit of natural products that contain no harmful additives.

For residents living in or near Byron and Rochester, we carry Carlin’s Colonies Raw Honey (from Lanesboro, MN) (24 ounces for $7.50)

Before using any products for your allergies, call 507-775-2711 to make an appointment to decide if a combination of raw honey and chiropractic treatments would bring you greater relief.

A gentle reminder: during these hot summer days, your body requires more water. Your organs and skin need fluids to function, and so do your muscles.

Sometimes in the summer chiropractic patients mention that they have increased discomfort after a spinal adjustment. Often, the answer is simple: they are not drinking enough water, and their muscles are not reacting to the adjustment as much as they are the lack of essential fluids. After increasing the amount of water they drink slightly, they feel better.

How do you know if you’re dehydrated? Most experts say, “If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.” The best policy is to drink a little water, whether you think you need it or not.

Here are some hydration guidelines:

15 minutes before your scheduled chiropractic appointment, drink 2 to 3 cups of water. Do the same 15 minutes after your adjustment.

Before you exercise in hot weather, drink 4 cups of water, and take at least one bottle with you. After your workout, drink at least 2 more cups as you cool down.

If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, drink 1 cup of water every 15 minutes for an hour. More if your symptoms feel more serious. If you feel extremely bad, call your doctor or your local emergency room. They will advise you on your next step toward rehydration.

The most common symptoms of dehydration:

Increased thirst

muscle pain, stiffness, or swelling

Dry mouth and swollen tongue

Weakness

Dizziness

Dry cough

Palpitations (feeling that the heart is jumping or pounding)

Confusion

Sluggishness fainting

Fainting

Inability to sweat

Decreased urine output

Change in color of urine

To avoid the symptoms, and the consequences of dehydration, pour youself a cup of cool water, and drink up.

Good posture is important, and it involves more than standing up straight.

What is it?

Posture is our muscles and ligaments working together to keep bones aligned, and in balance when we walk, sit, stand, sleep, or exercise.

The right posture decreases damage to joints, lessens abnormal wear on the joints that can lead to degenerative arthritis, minimizes the likelihood of injury, prevents muscle fatigue and strain.

You need a combination of muscle flexibility, strength, and joint motion (spinal is the most important).

It’s important for you not only stand up straight; you need to be aware of your body’s alignment when you work, play, and exercise. When you do, your enjoyment and productivity naturally increase.

Can Bad Posture be Corrected?

Yes. It will take intentional effort to replace the habits that have resulted in long-standing poor posture. Chiropractic adjustments are the first step in the right direction. I can also show you the best positions for sitting, walking, and sleeping. There are also exercises you can do to improve the tone of the most vital muscles involved in correct positioning.

To learn more about this, ask me when you come in for your next appointment or at your first free consultation. The first step toward improved health is yours – take it. Call 507-775-2711 to reserve a time we can meet.

Is your child struggling in school? Maybe you’re hearing from teachers that he or she is not working up to his or her potential. What are your options? You can partner with the teachers, your medical doctor, and your chiropractorto give your child the opportunity of increased learning.

More studies (from 2010 to 2012) are showing school children from kindergarten through college improve when receiving chiropractic care.

While more research is needed, consider the following facts:

Case studies are revealing a growing number of young students suffer from bad to severe headaches that can usually be tracked back to a neck or spinal injury while playing. When the same students went to a chiropractor, they showed good to excellent improvement. Their pain was either reduced or eliminated, and they were able to concentrate on their studies. The children were healthier and their grades improved.

A recent study released by the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR),shows shows chiropractic care is helping students with learning challenges, including dyslexia, ADHD, and autism. See the report HERE.

The above research and other studies show that even when a student isn’t having back/neck pain, when the spine is aligned by a chiropractor, the student can read and comprehend more; their attention span is increased, and their grades and self-esteem when it comes to learning improves.

There is no way to tell how many adjustments a child or teen will need before they experience a change. This is because each case is unique.

I’m not promising a cure for all learning challenges, but studies (and my younger patients) prove that when the spine is aligned, brain function improves.

Posted first on May 7, 2012

Every day I treat patients who have experienced the powerful connection between chiropractic medicine, and their own body’s ability to respond to it. Their result is improved health and in some cases, healing.

Every day you live with, work with, or interact with people in pain. Maybe it’s migraine headaches, a sports injury, or they’re among the sleep deprived because their baby or child is in pain.

Here are some ways you can help someone you know who is suffering:

tell them your chiropractic story

invite them to Byron Family Chiropractic’s Half-Hour to Health (call the office at 507-775-2711 to find out when our next event is) and come with them – having you, there will make them more comfortable.

let them know they can schedule a free consultation to see how chiropractic care can help them

“Pressure on nerves causes irriatation and tension with deranged functions as a result. Why not release the pressure? Why not adjust the cause instead of treating the effects?” D. D. Palmer

Sometimes you’ll hear people say, “I went to see my Chiro-cracker.” Or perhaps you’ve heard, “He’s a bone-cracker.”

The sound you hear during an adjustment isn’t your bones; it is the release of the air and pressure between the bones caused by a subluxation. When the air/pressure is gone, the bones move back into position – silently.

This often misunderstood “pop” means your body is responding to the adjustment.

If you have any questions about chiropractic care, please call 507-775-2711 to set up a consultation.